Chapter 16 Achieved

Chapter 16 – 16 Achieved

The scholar looked up and examined Zhong Lin for a moment, then smiled faintly: “What, are you thinking of selling paintings here too?”

Zhong Lin was taken aback. Was his intention that obvious?

As if knowing Zhong Lin’s doubt, the scholar straightened his back and smiled calmly: “You’ve been wandering around here for two days and still haven’t made up your mind?”

Zhong Lin was startled, thinking he had hidden well, but he didn’t expect to have already been discovered.

“Compared to ghostwriting letters, selling paintings is indeed a better path, but if you only sell here, at most you can make ends meet. To earn more Silver, you have to find another way,” the scholar said leisurely.

Although Zhong Lin didn’t know why this scholar was telling these things to a stranger like him, he still hastily bowed and said, “Please instruct me, sir.”

“Nuoxiang Building.”

The scholar uttered three words.

Zhong Lin thought for a moment and knew the place, mainly because it was too famous. Ever since he came to Black Mountain County, he had heard about it countless times both openly and secretly.

Nuoxiang Building was actually a brothel, and a rather high-class one—not the kind where you walk in, deal in flesh trade for a few minutes, and leave through a side door.

Nuoxiang Building was favored for its warm and comfortable atmosphere, high-quality performances, and meticulous service. It was the favorite place of literati and wealthy nobles throughout Black Mountain County.

It was said that the rewards for a single dance by a dancer there could reach hundreds of taels of Silver.

Zhong Lin’s eyes lit up. What the scholar said was indeed true; painting for ordinary people at most earned a few coins of Silver, but the dancers in Nuoxiang Building were a different case—they might casually give tips of several taels of Silver!

“Why don’t you go, sir?” Zhong Lin asked curiously.

The scholar looked down at his right hand and sighed: “Wish I was born with skillful hands!”

After speaking, he stopped paying attention to Zhong Lin and continued his painting.

Zhong Lin didn’t bother further, turned around, and left.

Seeing Zhong Lin disappear at the corner, another scholar, who was making a copy of a book for someone else at the stall next to Xu Heng, teased: “Xu Heng, since when did you become so helpful? Aren’t you afraid of him taking your business by showing him the way?”

Scholar Xu Heng glanced at the departing figure of Zhong Lin and said disdainfully: “I’m not afraid he’ll take my business; I just find him an eyesore standing here. His skin is dark, his fingers bony and calloused, he looks like a hunter popping out from some mountain ditch. He probably doesn’t even know what the Classics look like, yet he wants to learn to paint like others, it’s simply a disgrace to culture.”

“That may not be the case; what if he has some family skills? Just like the West City mounter Wang Zhi, though blind and crippled, illiterate, his skill in copying art makes us all marvel,” the other scholar retorted.

Xu Heng smiled slightly: “Even if he had inherited some painting skills, that’s Nuoxiang Building.”

The questioning scholar’s face changed, as if he thought of something, and shook his head, saying no more.

…

Sweet Water Alley.

Zhong Lin carried a heap of brushes, paints, and paper back, not even bothering to eat as he plunged into the study converted from the west wing room and set up a stool, letting the little stone sit properly to model.

In the past few days, Zhong Lin wasn’t wandering aimlessly but looking for business opportunities to make money.

Without capital, strength, or technical skills, he eventually set his sights on the painting industry.

The painting technique of this era was similar to ancient freehand ink wash painting, emphasizing intention over form; Zhong Lin saw Xu Heng’s paintings, and the works were extremely vivid, making one marvel.

In terms of traditional Chinese painting, he couldn’t compare, but he could find another path.

In his past life, being in an information-explosive age, he’d seen plenty of various paintings. Compared to freehand painting, Zhong Lin planned to create meticulously realistic 3D paintings; emphasizing one word… likeness.

As realistic as a photograph.

Coincidentally, in his previous life, Zhong Lin happened to be amazed by 3D paintings on Douyin and went on to learn it for a while, but unfortunately, he didn’t persist, only tried for a short burst.

If Zhong Lin were to pick it up again, it would naturally be extremely difficult, but luckily, he had a ‘cheat’.

Unwilling to waste the purchased paper and paint, Zhong Lin found a tree branch and sharpened it, then squatted on the ground in the courtyard, where a layer of fine sand was spread. He planned to practice on the fine sand as it could be reused.

Facing little stone as the model, Zhong Lin sketched stroke by stroke with the sharpened branch.

“Second brother, are you done? My butt is itchy.”

“Hold on.”

“I want to poop.”

“Hold it in.”

“I want to pee.”

“Why are you so troublesome, just bear with it a bit longer.”

It took a full hour for Zhong Lin to put down the branch. On the sand was the outline of a little stone, but this wasn’t the main point.

Zhong Lin eagerly summoned the System Panel.

Host: Zhong Lin

Skill: Bow Technique (Full Level), Flying Locust Stone (Full Level), 3D Painting (Beginner)

Skill Points: ∞

“Great, finally formed a skill, add points for me.”

Zhong Lin was delighted in his heart as with a command, the ∞ symbol on the skill points wavered, and soon the “Beginner” in brackets for the 3D Painting changed to “Full Level”.

Then a rush of memories flooded into Zhong Lin’s mind, in the memories, he was painting each day—24 hours a day, painting non-stop except for eating and sleeping.

Leaves, flowers, mountains and stones, cats and dogs, people…

Each item, each person, appeared vividly at the tip of his brush.

As time passed, his paintings reached an effect of making the false appear true; painting a cat was enough to scare mice around the house into chaos, and painted flowers could even attract butterflies and bees.

“System.”

Host: Zhong Lin

Skill: Bow Technique (Full Level), Flying Locust Stone (Full Level), 3D Painting (Full Level)

Skill Points: ∞

Zhong Lin slowly opened his eyes, now his mind was filled with knowledge about 3D painting, and when drawing faces, different general shapes of faces appeared in his mind.

When drawing eyes, phoenix eyes, peach blossom eyes, triangular eyes, watery eyes and such floated in his mind.

As he outlined the nose bridge, various information on the proportions and distribution of facial features flooded in.

As long as someone described it clearly enough, he could draw a resemblance of seven or eight out of ten even without seeing the person.

Moreover, he was well-versed in the mixing of various paints.

He stood up and returned to the study, spread Xuan paper on the table, dipped a brush in ink, and lightly sketched on the white paper. Shortly, an image of little stone emerged from his pen, but not the image sitting on the stool, rather the scene from yesterday when he was gnawing on a chicken leg, with grease at the corners of his mouth, a pair of lively eyes, giving a sense of life.

“Se… Second brother.”

Little stone pointed at the painting on the desk with some fright, as if he’d seen a ghost, that expression made Zhong Lin laugh heartily.

“Done.”

If you find any errors ( Ads popup, ads redirect, broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.